World Snooker Championship LIVE – Stuart Bingham and Kyren Wilson play to conclusion after Mark Selby crashes out

ByPaul Hassall|Jonathan Davies

Updated 22/04/2024 at 21:11 GMT

It's back. The 48th World Snooker Championship got underway on Saturday and we have already seen a major shock with defending champion Luca Brecel knocked out in the first round. Mark Williams takes on Si Jiahui at 14:30. Later on, Robert Milkins goes up against Pang Junxu which starts at 19:00. Stream all the action on discovery+.

‘It’s there!’ – Bingham pots re-spotted black with fluke against Wilson

That's all for today

Thank you for your company on day three of this year's World Championship.

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Make sure you join us again tomorrow for another action-packed day that will feature the likes of Mark Allen, Mark Williams, Kyren Wilson and Ding Junhui.

Until then, enjoy the rest of your evening. Goodnight!

Result: Wilson 5-10 Bingham

Stuart Bingham is through to the last 16 of the 2024 World Championship after wrapping up a 10-5 victory over Gary Wilson.

Ballrun, who trailed Stuart Carrington 7-3 in the third qualifying round, produces his best again at the Crucible, where he has not lost in the opening round since 2018.

He will play either Ding Junhui or Jack Lisowski in the second round.

Wilson 5-9 Bingham (6-70)

Bingham gets to the snookers required stage and is almost over the line.

Wilson needs two of them and will play, but it is a tough ask to turn things around from here.

Wilson 5-9 Bingham (6-58)

Bingham cannot convert that opportunity, but is soon back at the table with another chance.

Wilson looks like a beaten man.

Wilson 5-9 Bingham (6-35)

Bingham is at the table with the chance to secure frame and match.

There is work to do but, nevertheless, it is an opportunity.

Wilson 5-9 Bingham

A run of 55 is enough for Ballrun to move to the brink of victory.

Are we about to lose yet another seed in this opening round?

Mid-session: Milkins 1-3 Pang

The Milkman stops the rot and gets his first frame of the match on the board heading into the interval.

Wilson 5-8 Bingham (24-6)

Wilson looks to make the first inroads towards a comeback.

However, his momentum stalls when he screws the cue-ball into the left centre while attempting to go up for the blue.

Mid-session: Wilson 5-8 Bingham

We are as we were when we started this evening, with Bingham holding a three-frame advantage.

He needs two more to reach the second round.

Wilson 5-7 Bingham (38-66)

The former champion makes 66 to get to the snookers required stage with 25 points remaining.

Wilson gets one of them, but needs another if he is to pinch the frame.

Wilson 5-7 Bingham (34-0)

Wilson looks to halve the deficit again before the mid-session interval.

But going nicely on 34, he underhits a blue to the left centre while trying to hold the cue-ball for a red.

Bingham has an unexpected opportunity.

Wilson 5-7 Bingham

Ballrun stops the rot as he gets over the line to move two frames clear again.

Wilson 5-6 Bingham (9-54)

The 2015 champion takes control of the 12th frame and establishes a healthy lead.

There are still plenty of points on the table for Wilson, though three of the four remaining reds are tied up on the cushions.

Wilson 5-6 Bingham

A 57 clearance sees the Tyneside Terror pinch the frame on the pink.

How crucial will these steals prove to be?

Wilson 4-6 Bingham (35-48)

Once again, Wilson has the chance to steal the frame after Bingham makes the early running.

This would hurt Ballrun...

Milkins 0-1 Pang

Across the arena, Pang has recovered from 60-0 down in the opening frame with a run of 57 to snatch it on the black.

Wilson 4-6 Bingham

Wilson produces a brilliant counter clearance of 86 to close the gap to two frames.

Wilson 3-6 Bingham (0-42)

Ballrun cannot make the most of his opportunity as he is unable to open the reds, and is forced to play safe.

Wilson 3-6 Bingham (0-34)

Bingham has taken early command in this opening frame of the evening session.

He needs to develop a cluster of reds around the pink spot, but has a decent chance.

The players are out

There is another wonderful atmosphere inside the Crucible as MC Rob Walker welcomes the players.

The last session of the day is under way.

Double figures for Milkins

The two-time ranking event winner is back in Sheffield for his 10th appearance at the Crucible.

He will be looking to reach the quarter-finals here for the first time.

Wilson v Bingham

We will see a conclusion to the contest between two players who know what it takes to go deep at the Crucible.

Of course, Bingham lifted the trophy back in 2015, while Wilson was a semi-finalist four years later.

Welcome back

Thanks for joining us again ahead of the final session on day three in Sheffield.

By the end of the day, half of the last-16 draw will be complete with either Gary Wilson or Stuart Bingham prevailing.

JOIN US LATER

That's all for this afternoon, but don't go far as we'll be back for more at 6.45pm.

Stuart Bingham will resume his clash with Gary Wilson at 6-3 to the good, while Robert Milkins begins his match against Pang Junxu.

We hope you'll join us then. See you later.

END OF SESSION: Williams 5-4 Si

The three-time world champion is back in front at the conclusion of the opening session after a break of 53.

They resume at 2.30pm BST on Tuesday.

Williams 4-4 Si (26-0)

With the arena now to themselves, Williams and Si are playing the final frame of their opening session.

The Welshman levelled with 65, and has a good chance to regain the lead here.

RESULT: Selby 6-10 O'Connor

The four-time world champion is out!

Joe O'Connor enjoys a debut to remember as he knocks out Mark Selby following a hugely impressive 10-6 victory.

Although, full marks to the Jester, who shared a huge smile and warm embrace as he congratulated his opponent.

Selby 6-9 O'Connor (39-43)

O'Connor cuts in a long red to the top-left corner and is on the black.

He has another chance to clinch a huge scalp...

Selby 6-9 O'Connor (39-42)

O'Connor plays a superb positional shot around the houses from black to the final red.

However, he then rattles it in the jaws of the bottom-left corner with the rest.

Reprieve for Selby...

Selby 6-9 O'Connor (39-5)

Selby cuts a thin red into the top-left corner, only to see the cue-ball disappear into the bottom-right.

O'Connor has a red to the left centre and there is work to do, but it is a chance to secure frame and match.

Selby 6-9 O'Connor (31-1)

The Jester has the lead in the 16th frame, though both players are now involved in a safety battle.

Neither of them want to twitch first here.

Williams 3-4 Si

Williams is visibly frustrated after missing a black to the bottom-left corner.

His opponent takes advantage to lead for the first time in the match.

Selby 6-9 O'Connor

Selby stays alive with a timely 67. Is it too little too late, though?

Williams 3-3 Si

The 2023 semi-finalist controls the sixth frame to level once more.

Selby 5-9 O'Connor

Selby concedes and, unless he wins the last five frames, the four-time world champion will be making an early exit from the Crucible.

Williams 3-2 Si

Si has a chance to make it three frames in a row, but misses a routine red to the bottom-right corner.

Williams steps in to clear and snatch the frame on the black to edge his nose back in front.

Selby 5-8 O'Connor (1-65)

The debutant is back at the table and quickly at the snookers required stage.

He will need one more frame for victory.

Selby 5-8 O'Connor (1-57)

O'Connor looks good for 9-5, but breaks down on 57 when missing a red to the bottom-left corner.

He only needed a few more pots to wrap up the frame.

The boys are back

All four players return from the mid-session interval and resume their respective matches.

Williams 2-2 Si

On the other side of the divider, we are all square with Si recovering from 2-0 down to level at 2-2.

The turning point came when Williams made several failed attempts to escape from a couple of snookers, allowing his opponent to subsequently square the match.

Selby 5-8 O'Connor

The four-time world champion makes 91 and is just three frames adrift at the break.

Selby 4-8 O'Connor (9-31)

O'Connor establishes an early lead in the last frame before the mid-session interval.

However, Selby is at the table reducing the deficit with a decent chance to make it 8-5.

Selby 4-8 O'Connor

The Jester wins a scrappy 12th frame to close the gap again. Can he pull another one back before the interval?

Williams 2-1 Si

The 2023 semi-finalist gets his first frame of this year's tournament on the board with a neat run of 52.

Selby 3-8 O'Connor (41-0)

Only four players have beaten Selby in the opening round of his 19 previous Crucible appearances, with John Higgins being one of them.

Can O'Connor join that exclusive group today?

Selby 3-8 O'Connor (21-0)

The Jester takes an early lead in the 12th frame, but misses an attempted cannon into the pack from the green and is forced to play safe.

Williams 2-0 Si

The Welshman has not lost in the opening round here since 2015. He has made a strong start this year by doubling his lead.

Selby 3-8 O'Connor

The debutant capitalises on his opportunity with a run of 49 more than enough to restore his five-frame buffer.

Selby 3-7 O'Connor (0-22)

It has been a scrappy start to the 11th frame, in which O'Connor has established an early lead.

Selby was unlucky to go in-off when cutting a thin red into the bottom-right corner.

His opponent now has a chance to go 8-3 to the good.

Selby 3-7 O'Connor

Just the start Selby was looking for. A lovely clearance of 112 gives him the first frame of the second session.

Is this the start of another memorable comeback?

Selby century sparks hopes of comeback against O’Connor – ‘He already looks a lot better'

Williams 1-0 Si

Across the arena, the three-time champion is quickly out of the blocks with a magnificent total clearance of 142 to draw first blood.

That is the joint-highest break of the tournament so far, equalling Ricky Walden's effort against Tom Ford.

Selby 2-7 O'Connor (0-8)

The debutant is looking to pick up from where he left off on Sunday by crunching in a brilliant long red.

Although, after a safety battle, he misses a brown to the left centre, and Selby has a chance to score well here.

The boys are on the baize

The four players are introduced into the Crucible Theatre by MC Rob Walker. The divider comes down, the players shake hands and the eighth session of this year's tournament is under way.

Can Selby come back?

The Jester is going to have to produce one of his trademark fightbacks if he is to avoid a first opening-round defeat at the Crucible since 2018.

Nigel Bond (against Cliff Thorburn in 1994), Marco Fu (against Luca Brecel in 2017) and Robert Milkins (against Joe Perry in 2023) are the only players to overturn a 7-2 first-round deficit at this venue.

Welcome back

Thanks for joining us again as day three of the 2024 World Championship continues in Sheffield.

The afternoon session is headlined by two players boasting seven Crucible crowns between them.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby has a mountain to climb at 7-2 down against debutant Joe O'Connor, while three-time winner Mark Williams begins his 26th Crucible campaign against 2023 semi-finalist Si Jiahui.

Join us again at 14.15 BST

What incredible drama to conclude the morning session! That's it for now, but worry not. More snooker is just around the corner with four-time world champion Mark Selby resuming at 2-7 down in his clash with Joe O’Connor.

We’ll keep tabs on that potential shock but will focus on Three-time winner Mark Williams as he kicks off his campaign for more glory against Si Jiahui in the afternoon session.

See you shortly!

BINGHAM 6-3 WILSON

Bingham works his way towards the 20-mark, nicking in the blue to the middle right to land perfectly on a red down to the other middle pocket.

His positional play is on the money at a key point in the frame and the steal becomes more and more likely as he pops down the final red to the bottom right.

The pink causes a minor obstacle close to the brown pocket, but he plays off that final red to sink it to the yellow pocket.

It leaves him with an orthodox run of the colours, although his heart may well have been in his mouth when the yellow danced with the jaws of its own pocket before dropping.

It seems straight-forward from there, but his break ends dramatically on 63 as he misses a routine black. He needs it too!

Wilson can’t believe it as he steps in to snatch the frame at the death and somehow move to within three frames of his opponent.

Bingham will be gutted. A five-frame lead was there for the taking.

BINGHAM 6-2 WILSON (0-60)

Stuart can’t quite guide a red up to middle left and it opens up an opportunity for Wilson.

If he can cut the gap to three frames heading into the evening session he’ll feel it’s a result given how he’s played and he once again looks to be in fine fettle in the early part of his run.

It’s been around the 30-mark where it’s often gone wrong in this session, but he avoids another wobble on 35 when he steers a red to the bottom right despite some very awkward cueing.

The half century passes with a neat cut on a black to bottom left but with the frame almost in the bag he fluffs a similar shot and ends on 60.

Will Bingham make him pay? Ball Run will feel he’s been worth a 7-2 lead for the session, but there’s still a lot of work to do to clinch a steal here.

BINGHAM 6-2 WILSON

Bingham’s patience pays off as he lures another safety error out of Wilson to cut a red to bottom left and put himself in control of what has developed into an inviting table.

A brown to middle left and a red to the same corner land him nicely on the black. There’s plenty to do, but it’s there for him if he can stay in the zone and he methodically takes care of a series of red-black combos to move that four-frame cushion back on to his horizon.

He's forced to stretch into a mid-range red down to the left corner but makes it look simple and paves the path for more routine pots around the black.

A pink down to the bottom left pocket pretty much seals the frame with three reds left and Wilson can only watch on as Bingham reasserts his authority with a break of 76.

BINGHAM 5-2 WILSON (2-0)

Stuart clobbers down a blistering long red to open but follows it with a howler of a miss on a brown down to the middle right.

Sadly for Wilson, he remains unconvincing and an attempt on a red down to the left corner goes awry courtesy of another tussle with the jaws.

Bingham notches up another solitary red and then plays a safety up to baulk via the yellow.

BINGHAM 5-2 WILSON

Wilson steadies himself to sizzle down a mid-range red to the right corner and with four of the remaining five reds wide open, this is a gilt-edged chance to reduce the arrears.

He keeps it together to knock those four down and snare frame ball. The pink allows him to play up to the final red tight to the upper right cushion and the position is perfect for him to sink it to the green pocket.

He clears up to the brown with a run of 42. It’s his best of the day which says much about his form, but he’s still in there fighting with two frames of this morning session to go before they reconvene this evening.

BINGHAM 5-1 WILSON (22-36)

More gasps from the crowd as Bingham balloons the cue ball, making it jump over the reds. His break ends on 13 and the foul offers up a chance for Wilson to try and find some form….

But, oh dear. He can’t find a pot on the red and suddenly this has become very scrappy.

BINGHAM 5-1 WILSON (9-32)

Wilson nudges a red to middle left and clips in the blue before jabbing down a red to the green pocket via the rest.

It enables him to play off the reds just loose of the pack, but once again he comes unstuck around the 30-mark as he somehow blows a red to bottom left that seemed pretty basic. Indeed, he thinks so as he offers his cue to a member of the audience. That sums up what he thinks of his performance so far in this match.

BINGHAM 5-1 WILSON (9-0)

Laser-like precision! Bingham’s Mojo continues to flow as he teases a controlled red too middle left to open. He looks in good shape but blows a routine black to the left corner and comes up way shy of what he was expecting with a run of nine.

Chance for Gary.

BINGHAM 5-1 WILSON

That’s a belter from Bingham as he scorches a long red to the right corner to play on the front foot in Frame 6.

He blasts the blue to the middle left to gain the pace to disrupt the pack and provide him with more to chew on and develop a worthwhile break.

A crisp red to the middle leaves him on the yellow up to its home pocket that allows him to drop back and take a red to middle left. He’s got plenty of options and makes regular use of the blue as he keeps the board ticking over.

He shakes his head a couple of times as he doesn’t maintain the position he would like and needs to cork down a semi-difficult red to bottom left to stay in charge.

A yellow across to the green pocket finally gets him back down to the pack and Wilson begins to get that sinking feeling again, although he remains in good spirits as he laughs with his opponent after suppressing a couple of coughs as Bingham was in mid-shot.

In the end it’s an excellent response to Wilson nicking a frame back and Stuart restores his four-frame advantage with a sublime 117 clearance up to the black (the 580th century of his career).

BINGHAM 4-1 WILSON

That’s a beauty of a pot!

Wilson leans in with the rest to despatch a red to the bottom left and open up the table. It’s there for him to get off the mark from here and plays off the black nicely, taking what could have been a tricky red down the right rail along the way.

Another routine red and black leaves Bingham needing snookers and the 2015 champion remains rooted to his seat as Wilson belatedly gets on the board with a break of 36.

BINGHAM 4-0 WILSON (1-36)

Bingham opens the scoring following the interval but a miss on a red up to middle left leaves the door ajar for his opponent.

Is Wilson refreshed and ready to find some semblance of form? It looks that way as he knocks in a diagonal red to the green pocket, clips in the brown and then jabs a red up to the yellow pocket via the rest.

He seems more focused and he delicious angle on a red to corner left to land neatly on the black suggests as much.

Still, he wants luck to align on his side too and he’s not convinced of that when he tries to cannon into the pack off a pot on the pink to the bottom left via the rest. Indeed, it’s a touching ball as the cue ball stops dead against the ruck of reds. He’s forced to play safe and another chance to pull clear after a strong start ends with a run of 36.

‘It’s there!’ – Bingham pots re-spotted black with fluke against Wilson

RESULT FROM TABLE 2

MURPHY 10-5 LYU

The Magician woos the crowd with a break of 81 to secure the win in style. He will meet Stephen Maguire in round two.

LATEST FROM TABLE 2

MURPHY 9-5 LYU

A 100th career century keeps Lyu’s slim hopes alive. Murphy still in charge and needing just that one frame to progress.

BINGHAM 4-0 WILSON

Well, that is a contender for shot of the day! Bingham comes off the right and bottom cushions to escape a snooker in baulk and nudge the yellow into the middle left pocket.

He can’t find a path to the green from there but it leaves him 36 ahead with only 25 left on the table.

Wilson plays on for a few shots but knows the frame is up and soon concedes to head into the interval with plenty to ponder.

BINGHAM 3-0 WILSON (72-38)

Bingham breaks a brief impasse with a clever long-range plant on a red to the right corner and then tucks in-behind the green high up in baulk.

Wilson’s escape attempt doesn’t come off as he plays off three cushions trying to nudge a red close to the bottom rail. He misses by a whisker and then catches the pink with a worse effort at the second time of asking.

Bingham’s eyes light up with a routine red on and he moves up to nail the brown to the green pocket to gain the angle he wants for the reds north of the black on its spot.

That former champion takes care of the remaining reds with a run of 53 to leave Wilson needing a snooker but a long diagonal attempt on the yellow doesn’t come off and the Tyneside Terror will play on for now.

LATEST FROM TABLE 2

MURPHY 9-4 LYU

The Magician is now just a frame away from booking his place in the next round.

BINGHAM 3-0 WILSON (8-38)

Wilson clunks the floor with his cue in utter frustration as a long red rattles the jaws of the corner left pocket and stays out.

It sums up his start in a nutshell and Bingham doesn’t help improve his mood as he makes sharp use of the rest to nudge a red up to the yellow pocket and begin another potential comeback.

However, he then blows a routine blue to middle right and we are left in the dark as to who is going to take this frame by the scruff of the neck. It’s certainly developed into a messy one.

BINGHAM 3-0 WILSON (0-38)

That’s much-needed from Wilson’s point-of-view, but he’s still far from his best.

He’s struggled for consistency so far this morning and he can’t keep any momentum as a cut on a black to the right corner leaves him with nothing on to continue a run of 38.

He plays safe to baulk and will need to try and grit this out.

BINGHAM 3-0 WILSON

Close!

Bingham takes on a red along the bottom rail that rattles the jaws of one pocket before thundering along the cushion and doing the same in the opposite pocket before jumping out.

Wilson tries to cut that free red to the right corner but it’s perhaps no surprise that he leaves it hovering, such has been his luck and form so far today.

The cue ball is sitting behind the pack to the left, however, and Bingham can’t find the path for a pot. Instead, he tucks snugly into the pack and Wilson assesses it before agreeing they should re-rack.

BINGHAM 3-0 WILSON

The finish line is within sight on a run of 24 but Bingham needs rock-solid cueing to nail a red to bottom left with the cue ball awkwardly close to the right tail.

The black follows to the opposite corner and he thinks he’s there, but a tough cut on a red down to the corner right misses by some distance and he ends on 32.

Wilson steps in to try to find some form, but his game is all over the show at present and a miss leaves him conceding the frame and looking somewhat fed up as he leans into the corner of his seat.

LATEST FROM TABLE 2

MURPHY 8-4 LYU

BINGHAM 2-0 WILSON (37-1)

Wilson can’t believe his level out there.

He clips in a brilliant long red to bottom left that didn’t look on and then lays a trap that means Bingham offers him a routine red down to the right corner.

The World No.10 fluffs his lines and shakes his head in utter disbelief.

It’s Bingham’s frame to lose from here….

BINGHAM 2-0 WILSON (37-0)

Ball-Run is feeling it out there right now as he follows up a pragmatic six on a tight table by slamming down a long red to bottom right to open it up a bit.

There are enough reds floating free of the remainder of the pack to build a decent lead here and he gobbles up a flurry of red-black combos to leave Gary with that sinking feeling once more.

The Tyneside Terror has blown some big moments already and will be wondering how he has yet to trouble the board.

Bingham keeps taking care of his own business but it goes awry when a pot on pink to middle right leaves him a touch high on a red to corner left.

He tries to rescue it with a red across to middle left but catches the far jaw and it’s end of break at 30.

LATEST FROM TABLE 2

MURPHY 8-3 LYU

BINGHAM 2-0 WILSON

Did he mean that? Bingham takes on the black tight and central on the bottom rail from the middle part of the baulk cushion.

If he means it, then it’s sublime as he doubles off the rear rail and nonchalantly wanders off when it sinks in the green pocket.

Wilson looks bemused. He thought that was pretty safe!

BINGHAM 1-0 WILSON (64-64)

A bit of cat and mouse with safety from baulk ends with Gary taking on a long red to bottom left, but again his radar remains off kilter.

It leaves a red on straight across the bottom rail for Stuart, but it does several jigs with both jaws of the right corner pocket before jumping free.

This time, Wilson takes advantage by popping that red down and playing off the black to land neatly above one of two reds near to the left rail.

His position off a black on to the final red is lovely and he guides it down the left cushion with expert use of the rest to land south of the black and gain the angle to get up the table for the colours.

A delightful clip on the yellow via the rest sends it to its home pocket but a plot twist is just around the corner as he needs to lean in for the brown, using his extension. It never looks comfortable and there’s a gasp from the crowd as he fails to ping it into the green pocket.

His run ends on 37 and Bingham steps in to complete the clearance and somehow level the frame and force a play-off on the black!

BINGHAM 1-0 WILSON (42-27)

Bingham quickly takes advantage of the kind spread of balls left for him before pondering his options as two reds are tight to the black very close to the bottom rail.

He opts to move up to the blue for now and deal with them later in the run as he moves ahead on the board with four reds remaining.

He attempts to free up the reds on the bottom cushion by nudging off the rail via a pot on the pink to the corner right, but it doesn’t pay off and he retreats to baulk after a solid break of 38.

LATEST FROM TABLE 2

MURPHY 7-3 LYU

BINGHAM 1-0 WILSON (4-27)

Ouch. There’s an element of déjà vu about this as Wilson clocks up a tidy 22 but then takes on a risky red to bottom left that smacks the jaw and flies out. Worse still, he splits the pack and then watches on in horror as the cue ball spirals away before disappearing into the middle left bag.

BINGHAM 1-0 WILSON (0-5)

Wilson is first to show in Frame 2, nicking in a red and landing the cue ball tight to the left side of the yellow on its spot.

Bingham wants a fine nick on the red furthest south-west of the pack but somehow misses it.

Wilson has a free ball and takes on a yellow from baulk down to corner left but despite controlling it at a slow pace, the ball clips the jaws and hovers over the precipice.

Bingham can’t take advantage and Wilson gets another bite at developing a significant lead.

BINGHAM 1-0 WILSON

Stuart quickly gets into his groove knocking down a flurry of routine red-black combos before a pink up to middle left almost causes a problem as its spot is crowded by a trio of reds.

It doesn’t seem to faze him as he plays off the blue to the middle pockets to attack the reds near the pink from a north-east angle.

It’s smart snooker as he frees up the reds and lands on the black before causing himself a bit of a pickle when he has to awkwardly cue over a nearby red to take care of one to the bottom right.

A pair of reds near the left rail could cause an issue but he manipulates the cue ball in-behind one to guide it perfectly across the table and into middle right.

A thunderous pot on the blue sees him come off a couple of cushions to nail the penultimate red and the applause after every shot shows the crowd know the former world champion is on course for a clearance.

Indeed, the colours are routine off the spots and a sublime break of 98 ensures the World No.29 takes the opener with aplomb.

BINGHAM 0-0 WILSON (0-32)

That’s a lovely opener from Gary as he guides a long red flush into the right corner.

The black duly follows to the opposite pocket and a decent cannon into the pack opens up a few reds, including one down the right rail to remain on black.

A red north of the pack is despatched to the right corner leaving him to knock down the pink to middle left and he tucks a mid-range red to corner left to get back down towards the black.

He again cannons off a pot to corner right to split the remainder of the pack and suddenly it looks like a frame-winning visit right here – but then catastrophe!

A simple enough black to corner right refuses the invitation, jiggling with the jaws and popping out.

The table is well spread here for Stuart ‘Ball-Run Bingham’ to pull of a potential steal.

Show time!

Intros ... done. Now, time for some snooks.

The boys are finally at the baulk and ready to rumble!

A WANER DOWN MEMORY LANE

Check out Alex Livie's piece where Ronnie O'Sullivan and Jimmy White look back on some great Crucible moments of the past. Well worth a read!

GOOD MORNING

Hello and welcome back to our LIVE updates from the 2024 snooker World Championship. The early action gets underway from 10.00 BST with World No.8 Shaun Murphy resuming his clash with Haotian Lyu at 6-3 up, while On the other table, The Tyneside Terror, Gary Wilson and 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham will kick off their showdown.

Later this afternoon four-time world champion Mark Selby has it all to do as he trails Joe O’Connor 7-2.

Three-time winner Mark Williams is also in action versus Si Jiahui.

Carter suffers shock exit as Trump cruises through

Stephen Maguire marked his return to the Crucible for the first time since 2022 with a battling 10-7 win over Ali Carter.

The Scot has an enviable World Championship record, with a host of quarter-final and semi-final appearances.

After battling through qualifying, he arrived match-sharp and that stood him in good stead as he battled back from 5-4 down after the first session to take down this season’s Masters runner-up.

Elsewhere, Judd Trump made a statement of intent by racing to a 10-5 victory over Hossein Vafaei in the first round of the World Championship.

Vafaei was arguably the better player in the first session, but found himself 6-3 down after Trump punished his mistakes with ruthless authority.

The Iranian made a good start to the second session by taking the opening frame, but Trump responded in superb fashion to book his place in the last 16.